Trolling motors for fishing boats are well known in the art and have been used by fishermen for many years. A typical trolling motor is a small, very low power insulated electric motor body which is mounted on the lower end of a hollow shaft. The electric motor drives a rotatable propeller at the rearward end of the motor body. Electrical wires extend through the shaft to supply power to the motor. The shaft is clamped to a side edge of the boat and is usually pivotable between vertical and horizontal positions. During use, the shaft is vertically aligned so that the motor body is submerged beneath the water. When the trolling motor is not in use, the shaft is pivoted to the horizontal position, parallel to the water so that the motor body is out of the water. Typically, trolling motors are used only in an auxiliary capacity to slowly and quietly maneuver the boat over short distances.
One problem with prior art trolling motors is their diminished capacity to steer the boat at their inherent low speeds. This is due to the small size and shape of the submerged portions of the trolling motor. Although some trolling motors have small fins or rudders, prior art designs lack the ability to adequately steer the boat when precise maneuvers are desired. Boaters are often required to oversteer or accentuate the desired direction of the boat in order to compensate for the lack of steerability. An improved apparatus or method of steering a boat with a trolling motor is needed.